Portfolio Engineer Review
at UBS
Degree Apprenticeship
Banking, Finance
London
Review Submitted: April 2024
Overall Rating
3.4 /5
The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!
3.5/5
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Overview of Role
4/5
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Skills Development
3/5
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Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
4/5
Working in a front office role, rebalancing portfolios at portfolio manager's requests, checking the trades and sending them to traders to trade in the market. Also managing the portfolios against client mandates and managing flows and cash management
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
3/5
Although being a degree apprentice is great, there are limitations with how much my year group have been able to socialize since we joined during lockdown along with being the first degree apprentices in Asset Management meant being guinea pigs for the course. Compared to other apprentice cohorts at UBS, they have a much better relationship and have the course better designed.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
4/5
Learnt a lot both about the wider financial industry and about Asset Management and portfolio management. Benefitted massively from the vastly experienced colleagues at UBS, joining a team with 3 people all with over 30 years in the industry each
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
2/5
Rotations in my area were not prepared and meant I stayed in one team for almost 3 years (although creating my own rotations was possible and meant I did stretch projects for other teams to gain more experience). Again I believe the course has developed but being the first year of degree apprentices in AM meant it wasn't as well structured as it could be
How much support do you receive from your employer?
3/5
Although we are supported by UBS, sometimes communication channels fail and we are notified by our employer about changes in course or upcoming action needed for our course. Also criticism given to our employer for them to raise with our training provider are not always seen (may be seen for later cohorts)
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
4/5
Lots of support, however, they aren't the best at communication for the support. We still get given loads of resources and can reach out to most lecturers at any time for help
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
3/5
I feel like experience on the job is a lot more valuable, however, the content we go through gives a greater understanding of the wider financial services
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
3/5
Not many, within AM we have a weekly 7 a side team that we can get involved with and our apprenticenet (group ran by apprentices) does provide quarterly meetings however are more tailored to newer apprentices than older ones. Many networking opportunities, but would like to see more sports team
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend UBS to a friend?
Yes
Why?
Good company to work for, respects work life balance, provides one of the best degree apprentice schemes and gives exposure to front office roles
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to UBS?
understand what area you would be most interested in, be yourself in interview questions as your personality is key to understanding which team would best suit you
